This article was co-authored by Shari Forschen, NP. Shari Forschen is a Registered Nurse at Sanford Health in North Dakota. She received her Family Nurse Practitioner Master's from the University of North Dakota and has been a nurse since 2003.

There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

Do you ever feel a sneeze coming on, but it just lingers in your nostrils, causing you to squirm with discomfort? Or maybe you need to get a sneeze out of your system before you give a talk, attend a meeting, eat a meal, or greet your date. Whatever your reason, there are several different ways that you can make yourself sneeze.

Steps

Method1

Using Your Sense of Smell to Trigger a Sneeze

1

Smell some spices. Smelling certain spices can cause you to sneeze. Try searching your cupboard for a bottle of spices, such as ground black pepper, cumin, coriander, or crushed red pepper. You can open the bottle and sniff the spices or use them in your cooking and inhale through your nose as you add them.[1]

Grinding the spices can also cause you to sneeze. Try grinding a few peppercorns with a mortar and pestle to bring on a sneeze.

2

Sniff a bit of capsicum extract. Capsicum is naturally derived from hot peppers, and is used in both medication and pepper spray. You can purchase a bottle of some capsicum extract or look for a product that contains it already. Don’t apply the extract to the inside of your nose because it will burn. Instead, dab a cotton swab against the top of a capsicum extract bottle and hold the cotton swab in front of your nose. Inhale the scent of the capsicum through your nose.[2]

If you do not have capsicum extract, then you can also cut open a hot pepper, such as a jalapeno or chili, and dab the inside of it with a cotton swab. Then, inhale the scent of the capsicum through your nose.

3

Sniff a fizzy drink. Sniffing a carbonated beverage, especially from a soda fountain, may be all the stimulation your nose needs to let loose a sneeze. Simply drinking a carbonated beverage may work, but you can also hold the cup right under your nose and inhale through your nose.[3] This should cause you to sneeze.

Make sure that the soda is really fizzy. If it is flat, then there might not be enough bubbles to bring on a sneeze.

4

Open a stick of peppermint gum. Some people sneeze from smelling peppermint. If you have some mints or peppermint gum around, then try popping one in your mouth. Inhale the scent as you enjoy the gum or mint and it may cause you to sneeze.[4]

You can also try sniffing a bottle of peppermint essential oil if you have some. Just open the bottle and inhale the scent of the oil through your nose.

Sniffing mint toothpaste may also work. Just open the cap of your toothpaste and inhale the scent through your nose.

Method2

Triggering Your Sneeze Reflex with Other Sensations

1

Tickle your nostrils. You can trick your nose’s defense mechanisms and trigger a sneeze by gently agitating the inside of your nostrils. The inside of your nose is extremely sensitive to irritation, so you can use a tissue to brush your nostril hairs and this may induce a sneeze.[5]

Roll the corner of a tissue into a small point. Put the point into your nostril, then turn and wiggle the tissue - it should tickle a bit.

Similarly, use a fake feather to brush the underside of your nose. You don’t even have to stick the feather in your nose to irritate it. Tickling the outside of your nose will probably make you sneeze.

Don’t stick anything, even a tissue, into your nose any further than the inside edges of your nostrils.

Never use a hairpin or other small sharp instrument to stimulate your nose hairs.

2

Try plucking out an eyebrow hair.[6] Some people will sneeze reflexively just from plucking out an eyebrow hair. To see if this will cause you to sneeze, get out a pair of tweezers and use them to pluck out a single eyebrow hair. This may be enough to bring on a sneeze.

Grasp the eyebrow hair near its root with the tips of the tweezers and pull the hair out quickly.

3

Look suddenly at a bright light. Up to a third of people have a built in “photic sneeze reflex.” If you have this reflex, then you’ll probably sneeze if you suddenly see a bright light. To find out if you are one of these people, turn off the lights and sit in the dark for a few minutes. After waiting a few minutes to allow your eyes to acclimate to the darkness, look up at the light and turn it on.[7]

You can also close your eyes tightly while standing in direct sunlight. Block the sunlight with your hand as well. After a minute or two, remove your hand and open your eyes. Doing this may cause you to sneeze.

This works because the trigeminal nerve, which controls sneezing, runs right alongside the optic nerve. The over stimulation of the trigeminal nerve may cause you to sneeze.

Never look directly at the sun, as this can quickly damage your eyes.

4

Take a deep breath of cold air.[8] Another good way to trigger your sneeze reflex is to take a deep breath of cold air. For instance, if you're inside and it's significantly colder outside, try stepping out and suddenly inhaling the cold air.

If it's not cold enough outside, try opening your freezer and leaning your face into the cold air for a few seconds.

Another way to do this is to take a hot shower, then stick your head out quickly and take a deep breath of cooler air.

It could be. Closing your nose when you sneeze can also force air into your sinuses or even into your brain. Although ti is rare to get injured from sneezing, it can sometimes lead to injury, such as a burst blood vessel or stroke.

If your nose is completely blocked, decongestants will be more effective than trying to sneeze. If you've developed a chronic inability to sneeze, visit an ear nose and throat specialist to cure those sniffhangers.

Tips

Have a tissue handy so that you can sneeze into it. Wash your hands as soon as possible after sneezing. If you don't have a tissue and can't wash your hands immediately, sneeze into your elbow or sleeve so that you don't spread any germs with your hands.

If the itching is severe or if it does not go away, then talk with your doctor. You might be experiencing an allergic reaction to something.

Get away from allergens and irritants. Being exposed to allergens and irritants, such as dust mold, chemicals, and smoke can cause you to feel like you have to sneeze. If you are in an environment with lots of allergens or irritants, then do something to eliminate or reduce these substances.

Try getting an air purifier for your home if you think that dust and mold may be causing your need to sneeze.

Do not allow people to smoke in your home. Request that they go outside and try to keep your distance if you are around people who are smoking.

If the cold is severe and you are not getting relief from basic cold treatments, then call your doctor. You may need a prescription medication to help ease your cold symptoms and support your recovery.

You can also talk to your doctor about allergy testing if you think that this may be the cause of your ongoing feeling that you need to sneeze. Your doctor may recommend over-the-counter or prescription medications that can help.

Warnings

Avoid “sneezing powder.” Once commonly sold in toy stores as a gag item, sneezing powders often include unsafe ingredients. One type of ingredient in particular – veratrum album alkaloids – have been deemed to be unsafe. While these items are still available online, do not allow yourself or others to use them.[9]

To make yourself sneeze, try looking at a bright light, which might trigger you to start sneezing. You can also try smelling something spicy, like black or crushed red pepper, to make yourself sneeze. If that doesn't work, sniff a fizzy drink until the carbonation causes you to start sneezing. Or, chew on a piece of gum, which might make you sneeze because of the minty smell. To learn how to make yourself sneeze by tickling your nose, scroll down!

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This article was co-authored by Shari Forschen, NP. Shari Forschen is a Registered Nurse at Sanford Health in North Dakota. She received her Family Nurse Practitioner Master's from the University of North Dakota and has been a nurse since 2003.

"For a while now, I've been feeling an urge! My nose has been tingling, my eyes have been watering, but there's been nothing I could do about it. So what did I do? I googled it, like every normal human has ever done. And at last I found the website to cure my symptoms. I found some pepper, sniffed in a bit, and I sneezed the best sneeze of my life. I owe my life to this article. :)"..." more

Rated this article:

MB

Morgan Beaudette

Jun 6, 2016

"I'd been blocked up really bad and it was getting extremely annoying and irritating. After I used the tip of tricking a sneeze multiple times, I was finally able to clear my nose a lot after walking around a bit. Then, sitting upright helped even more! "..." more

AR

Amy Roy

Mar 24, 2018

"I had this sneezing problem for the last few days. My nose has been tingling, my eyes have been watering, but nothing came out. So I went to wikiHow and I did the eyebrows one and it worked. Thanks!"..." more

KA

Kaycee Allen

Dec 16, 2016

"It helped me a lot, especially since it is allergy season. It has let all of my sinuses open up."

RM

Reese McCulloch

Apr 2, 2017

"For a couple of days I felt like I had to sneeze, but nothing worked!"